Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

The dunes run about sixty-five kilometres along the coast and reach some 150 metres, the largest expanse of coastal dunes in North America, built from sand carried down the rivers and blown inland over thousands of years. They are vanishing: European beachgrass, Scotch broom and shore pine were planted from 1910 to 1979 to stabilise the sand, and they worked far better than intended - the grass holds the sand, trees follow, and the native plants have been drastically reduced. Restoration removes invasive grass in places, and since 2014 a restoration collaborative has worked against its spread. Since 1994 off-highway vehicles have been limited to about 31 percent of the area. Frank Herbert visited and the dunes fed into Dune.

The landscape

• Sixty-five kilometres of dunes - the largest coastal expanse in North America.
• Dunes up to 150 metres - built from river sand blown inland.
• Beachgrass swallowing them - planted deliberately, now a threat.
• Separate OHV and quiet zones - vehicles on about 31 percent of it.

When to go

April to October. A full day.

Things to know

Off-highway vehicle areas are loud and busy; check which zone you are entering. Open sand is being lost to vegetation year by year. Walking in soft dune is exhausting. The coast is often wet and windy.

Nearby

Florence is north; Coos Bay is south.

Key facts